A Shattered Truth
by Chagrins
Summary: Set after S04E17 (inside the Framework). Leopold Fitz worked hard to reach his position within Hydra. And some girl was not going to ruin him. Seeing Jemma Simmons made the doctor realize one thing. She needed to be eliminated.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own Disney, or Marvel, or Agents of SHIELD. I just really enjoy watching the show and writing. And I ship FitzSimmons Enjoy the fic!

* * *

He stood. Arms crossed. Overlooking the city, cloaked in nightfall, through the window in his office. The street lights twinkled back at him, and he smiled. Satisfied. He'd worked hard for this place in life, and he'd gained a stellar reputation as one of the leaders of Hydra, the most respectable organization in the world. Hell, he'd come from absolutely nothing. At least, father had always made him feel like nothing.

"Leopold, aren't you coming?"

Fitz spun around, slowly, until he caught a glimpse of her beautiful face. The green cloak wrapped around her body complimented the emerald highlights in her hair. There was something so cold and calculating about that face that he knew so well. His partner. Lover. Friend. He'd cross the universe just to be with Ophelia.

"No, Madame. I've got a few more things to wrap up here." He walked toward her and planted a kiss over her lips. Just as the first time they'd touched, a rush surged through his body. "I'll meet you at home."

She paused for a moment. Fitz knew that look well enough. She was going to protest, as she did over so many things he desired to do. But he wasn't going to allow her to change his mind tonight. Especially not after what those terrorists had tried to convince him of earlier in the day. What was it that Radcliffe had told him? That Fitz didn't know himself. Not truly.

But Radcliffe was wrong.

"Are you thinking about that woman? She deserved to die," Ophelia said.

"No." Fitz slipped away from her and walked back toward his desk. He glanced yet again at the picture of Jemma Simmons. He'd seen her today. Yelling at him. Crying as if she knew him. This Jemma was every bit as dangerous as Ophelia had suggested.

"Ah, you're thinking of _her_ ," she said. "I told you, don't listen to a thing that Radcliffe said."

Fitz didn't understand why, but in that moment, Ophelia's words annoyed him. He crossed his arms.

"I want our efforts doubled. Jemma Simmons needs to be eliminated." She was just some girl. But Radcliffe's words were getting to him. The words about being in love with a crazy terrorist and crossing the universe for her. No. Radcliffe was just another looney bat. He was no better than any of the potential inhumans who wished to wipe away the rest of humanity. They all deserved death.

"We will take care of Simmons. Just please, come home with me, Leopold. You worry me when you get like this."

Fitz turned away from her and went back to his view by the window.

"I'll be home. Just please give me some time alone."

Fitz could feel her lingering behind him. But then he heard her footsteps, and she closed the door behind her.

Alone again, his mind replayed the events of the day once more. And in the replay, Fitz envisioned Jemma's face as if on repeat, screaming in his direction. For the tiniest of moments, something crossed his mind. A glimpse of Jemma. But with longer hair. A memory of a dark-haired man pressing a button. And then Jemma and Fitz were falling toward the ocean.

Fitz slapped his face. The memory wasn't real. It was some sort of trickery. Radcliffe was playing mind games with him. Making him think that there was some strange alternate reality.

And Jemma. He needed to get rid of her quickly. Before she made him feel any more of this… uncertainty. Fitz was a man who knew exactly what he needed and wanted.

And he knew exactly who he was.


	2. Chapter 2

Fitz crossed his arms over his chest. He stared through the clear screen to watch some of the men strap down his latest subject. He'd created the machine himself, designed to test potential inhumans without starting the terrigenesis process.

"You don't want to do this," Skye said. The same words she'd said in her holding cell the previous day. Funny how weak their minds were to think this trick would work on him.

Fitz smirked. "We've been over this."

The needles hovered above her body, and she shut her eyes like the coward she was. How had Fitz not noticed this before? Skye had been an asset to Hydra. But now it seemed all too obvious that she'd been with the resistance. She was the mole.

"Fitz… you need to remember," she said, weakly. "You need to remember Jemma."

Jemma again. Clearly Skye had been working with her. Fitz shook his head over at the technician who was about to start running the tests. If Fitz killed Skye off now, he'd waste an opportunity. Perhaps he could milk this situation further before discarding her body.

The technician pressed a button and the needles retracted.

"You've been hiding this Jemma girl, haven't you?" Fitz asked. He already assumed what the answer was.

Skye's eyes opened. He could see her fear, and he nearly scoffed at her. Her weak inhumanity. Instead, he carried himself as he always did. Neutrally. As father always said: never give away any emotions.

Skye failed to answer his question.

"Come on." Fitz waved his hand in the air. "Get her handcuffed. We're visiting her apartment. I have a feeling we'll run into Ms. Simmons there."

Before she had a chance to protest, Fitz had his men silence her. One more blow to the head had done it. Just enough to keep her knocked out until he needed her.

Fitz exited the lab and headed toward the HQ entrance, descending the steps that led to the doors. Behind him his men followed, one of them carrying Skye's body.

"You. Come with me." Fitz pointed to the man holding Skye. "The rest of you will follow behind."

Out front, his driver was waiting. He opened the door for Fitz who slid inside the vehicle. The man carrying Skye entered through the other side.

"Navigate us to Skye's residence," Fitz said.

Fitz continually glanced over at Skye during their drive. She was stirring, here and there, and he couldn't help but look. Every so often, there was something deeper. A sort of flashback. An image of Skye with shorter hair. Pushing him up against a wall. Strangling him…

Fitz shook his head and faced forward. No. This was Radcliffe nonsense. Either that or he needed some time off. Yes, of course. He would take a mini vacation with Ophelia. Just after he tracked down Jemma and took care of this. He was in dire need of a break.

As they pulled into the parking garage, Fitz reached into his briefcase and pulled out a little circular device. It flashed a green color.

"Hold her still." Fitz pressed the object into Skye's neck and the object seemed to vanish. Beneath her skin, Fitz knew. He'd need this device if she was going to cooperate. "Wake up, Skye."

The man began to shake her, and she groaned.

"Fitz…" She reached for her neck. "What did you do?"

"Your job right now is to go upstairs, and wait," Fitz said. "Oh, and since you asked, you're now wearing a video surveillance unit. Try anything, and I can have it deactivated. Which involves an explosion."

Fitz pulled up his phone and opened the surveillance application. He angled the device so that she could see there was indeed video foot of the backseat of the car. Footage that was 360-degrees.

"You wouldn't want to kill your friend, Jemma," Fitz said. "Now get to work."

He watched as Skye slowly walked toward the steps and disappeared.

"Watch the hallways. I'll take the garage," Fitz said to the other man who jumped out and raced toward the steps. Fitz then stepped out of the car and nodded toward his driver who sped out of the parking garage.

Fitz cocked his gun.

"Come on, Jemma. I'm waiting for you," he said to himself, stepping into the shadows.


	3. Chapter 3

It didn't take long for them to arrive. Those Agents of SHIELD terrorists.

Fitz waited in the darkness of the shadows. He'd known bringing Skye here would trigger their appearance. Whether they were still using her dwelling as a meeting point. Or not.

Moments before they showed up, he'd watched Skye in the footage. She'd written something cryptic to Grant Ward via text. Something Fitz assumed was Ward's warning not to come here. Fitz didn't know just yet what Ward's involvement was in this, but he had a sneaking suspicion that Ward would be the next agent brought in for questioning. And Skye thought she was helping him by sending that message.

Stupid girl. Well, her ignorance was his gain.

When they finally arrived, he heard the van first. An unmarked vehicle. Of course. SHIELD was nothing if not a bunch of cowering agents, hiding in fear.

The Patriot was the first to step out of the car. The most corrupt inhuman with his unnatural human strength. Fitz recognized him from the footage he'd seen. This was a man who disrupted the harmony of the world. A danger that needed to be thwarted. Ophelia and Fitz would take care of him, one way or the other. But today was not that day. Ward jumped out of the car behind the Patriot and raced for the stairwell.

"I'll grab Skye," Ward said.

Fitz grinned. Perfect.

Soon enough, the Patriot joined Ward and disappeared into the stairwell.

Fitz bided his time. There was no sense rushing in. Slow, calculated movements were the best ways to take care of this business. Besides, his back-up crew would preoccupy most of the other SHIELD subversives while Fitz made his move. And he needed to be assured that Jemma Simmons was with them before he acted at all.

Fitz pulled out his phone and watched the app. Ward had entered the room now. He appeared to be talking with Skye. Fitz raised an eyebrow. Ward knew something about his device that Fitz had implanted in Skye. Fitz could feel it. No matter, now was the time for Fitz to take his own actions. He watched from his phone as the footage cut, presumably Ward's doing, and he bolted into the light. An army of his men stepping out with him, matching his stride.

"Find Jemma Simmons. We do not leave without her." Fitz addressed his men before continuing toward the van.

When he reached the doors of the vehicle, he quickly slid one of the back doors open. To his dismay, but not surprise, the entire van was empty. He had not seen Jemma get out of the car.

"Looking for someone?" A deep, scratchy voice.

Fitz spun around.

"Ah. So. I finally meet the Patriot." Fitz smiled, stepping closer to the figure that towered above him. Fitz wasn't scared. He wasn't scared of anything in this world. "Don't worry. Soon enough, we'll have a more official meeting."

"Fitz!" There she was again. Jemma Simmons. Running toward him from the other side of the garage. Talk about a stupid girl. She'd made this all too easy for him.

"Grab her!" Fitz cried, just as a car came racing in through the garage. Passing Fitz and running straight into the Patriot. "Quickly. Let's move."

He watched his men jump out from every angle. Two of them grabbed Jemma Simmons who was now kicking and screaming. Calling his name.

And then his mind began playing tricks on him again. He could see a strange place. Another planet? He was struggling to walk. The winds surrounding him. Jemma was calling his name. He was calling for her…

"Doctor, get in!" His driver screamed, bringing Fitz back to the real world. Away from the insanity. That's what that had been, after all. Another lapse in his mental state. He desperately needed that vacation.

He jumped inside the limousine as they sped off, through the garage.

"Did we get her?" Fitz asked through the communication system.

"Yes. We have her with us, and we're driving back to HQ now," a response called back in.

Fitz grinned. A job well done.


	4. Chapter 4

"There must be some reason why Ward did it," Fitz said. He was sitting with Simmons, their feet inside of a pool. The other members of their team waiting around. They were all just waiting…

"Maybe they brainwashed him," Fitz added.

"Don't know. Some people are just evil," Simmons responded.

"Well, I'd rather not believe that."

"It's true. I just assumed we'd be better at spotting it."

"Tell me that you're not Hydra," Fitz said.

"What?"

"I know that it's ridiculous. But I just need to hear you say it."

"I'm not Hydra."

"Good. Because I'm not either."

"Of course, not."

"Because… if you ever did. I don't know what I would do," Fitz said. Jemma placed a hand on his leg. Even then, he knew that he loved her…

* * *

Fitz jumped with a start. Face flushed. Sweat beading around his forehead. Now Radcliffe's ideas were infiltrating his dreams. Lovely. Real lovely. The sooner this girl was taken care of, the better. He sat up in bed and kicked off the sheets, accidentally waking Ophelia in the process.

"Is everything alright, Leopold?" she asked.

"Yes, I'm sorry. Please go back to bed."

She rolled back over, and Fitz slipped into a pair of moccasins before making his way to their balcony. In the chilly night, he was glad for his long sleeve pajama tops and bottoms. The Triskelion nearly shined in the distance. He wondered how long it would be before Hydra would finally bring peace to the world. Is that what they were doing now? Bringing peace. He certainly didn't feel peaceful on the inside.

He wanted to smack himself. How could he think these things? Of course, Hydra was doing justice for the people of the world. Protecting them against the greatest danger: themselves. And Radcliffe had been right about one thing. Fitz was one of the good guys—Radcliffe and Fitz just weren't on the same team.

Not that Radcliffe seemed like a man who was on anyone's side, really. At the drop of a hat, he'd been begging Fitz for mercy, taking back everything he'd tried to pass for truth just hours before.

Another weakling.

His eyes were still focused on the Triskelion. They latched onto the emblem, the skull, at the very top of the building. And for a split second, the emblem morphed into a bird with dark wings. Fitz shook his head. The emblem changed back to normalcy. He took a deep breath.

"This is happening too frequently," he said to himself.

"What is it?"

Fitz welcomed her soothing voice. Even if he had wanted to be alone.

"I keep getting these… strange visions." Fitz turned around as she grabbed his hands. "Do you… do you think someone from the other world is somehow trying to mess with my mind? That somehow they've gotten that control?"

"Whatever is happening to you, just remember that I love you. Don't let their fake memories take you away from me. Fight this, Leopold. Fight for us."

"It's just that… something is beginning to feel off." It was true. Fitz couldn't place it. But he was beginning to get some very strange feelings. This had to be because of what the outsiders were doing to him. But he felt… well, he couldn't explain it. Displaced? Had he always felt this way? He tried to remember.

"My love… every minute that you feel this way, you are letting them win. This is our life. Our wonderful home. And I would put up a fight if they ever tried to take you from me."

Fitz squeezed her hand. "Perhaps you're right."

He wrapped an arm around her and pulled her in closely.

"Come back to bed with me," Ophelia said, her eyes pleading. Fitz nodded and allowed her to pull him back toward their bed.

* * *

Fitz stared at her through the window of the interrogation room. It was best this way. She wouldn't be able to see him, and he could try to gauge her answers to their questioning.

May stood next to him. And they both just waited…

Something so strikingly familiar about the waiting. Fitz tried to clear his minding, reminding himself that his dream last night was fake. He'd never seen Jemma Simmons before Ophelia had showed him the briefing the other day.

Fitz watched Jemma now. She was sitting alone, looking down at the table. Her hands in her lap. When the door to her room opened, her head shot up. And then, a look of what seemed to be terror crossed her face.

Had she been that easy to break?

"Will?" Jemma said, her voice squeaking.

Fitz studied the Hydra agent. He was a relatively tall man with dark brown hair. One of the better agents that they had. Fitz narrowed his eyes. Jemma knew him?

Well, if this had been the case, Will did not seem to recognize Jemma. Or he was masking his recognition. Will walked across the room and stopped at the other side, slamming his hands against the table.

"Do you want to tell us how you got here?" Will asked. "Our records indicate that you're dead."

"And my records indicate that a leech infected your mind and took over your body. So where does that leave us?"

Fitz raised an eyebrow and glanced over at May. She returned the exchange before facing forward once more, looking as solid as a statue.

"You would be better off volunteering the information with me. Trust me. I'm a lot more generous than the doctor."

"Fitz isn't the man you think he is." Jemma looked defiant. Unafraid. Fitz crossed his arms. "And you aren't real."

Jemma jumped up and threw a punch toward Will who caught her hand. And slammed her back down into her seat.

"How about that. This girl has a death wish, doesn't she?" Fitz asked himself more than May. "No matter. I don't care if she doesn't answer to Will. She'll certainly answer to me."

With that, Fitz waited. He'd break her. Even if Will couldn't.


	5. Chapter 5

"Are you certain this is a good idea, Leopold? Jemma is dangerous."

"Just let me do my job, Madame."

Fitz crossed the hallway, Ophelia on his tail. He'd made up his mind. He would visit Jemma in her holding cell. Now. The electrifier he held in his hands was going to do the job for him. Even if he killed her before she answered any of his questions. Which, he guessed, was most likely going to be the case. But Fitz didn't care.

Her death was as good as any of her answers.

Ophelia was still following him. "She… that Jemma thinks the two of you were in love. In the other world. She's going to try and take you from me."

Fitz stopped in his tracks and turned back to her. The green highlights in her hair appeared especially bright beneath the lights in the hallway.

"No one can ever take me away from you," he said. "She's just a girl. Let me take care of this virus before it spreads."

And then he kept walking. Before he looked away, Fitz noticed Ophelia's smile. He knew that look. She was pleased with him.

Good.

* * *

Fitz twisted the knob on the door and took a deep breath. He wasn't sure why exactly, but suddenly he felt tingles shooting through his veins. It finally hit him that the idea of being alone with this Jemma girl was… nerve-wracking. But this was nonsense. She was just a girl, he reminded himself. Just a stupid, silly girl. Who was going to get herself killed.

Her head was down, just as in the interrogation room. Except this time, Jemma looked worn down. Weak. As weak as Skye had looked after the Hydra agents had given her a good beating.

A thin line of blood trickled down the right side of her bottom lip.

"I see you met Will," Fitz said, bending down to her level. She didn't respond. He lightly slapped the side of her face. "Time to wake-up."

Jemma's eyes slowly opened. They were brown. A deep, lively brown. Fitz flinched.

"Fitz?" She asked, barely audibly enough to hear.

"You're to refer to me as the doctor." Fitz placed the electrifier on the ground. Best to rough her up with his hands first.

"This isn't you," she said. There were tears falling down her face.

Pathetic.

"I've been hearing that a lot lately." Fitz stood back up and began to pace around the room. "Why don't we have a little chat, Jemma Simmons."

"You're a good man, Fitz. You've got to snap out of this. She's brainwashed you. She-"

Fitz slammed his hand against the wall. "I've had enough. You'll answer my questions. Or you won't, and that'll be the end of you." Fitz pointed to the electrifier on the ground. "Either way, I'm getting what I want."

She looked up at him now, piercing him with her eyes. Still full of tears. "Fine. I'll talk."

Fitz crouched back down on the ground and leaned over her.

"Who are you really?" he asked.

"My name is Jemma Simmons. I'm—we're—both Agents of SHIELD." Her voice was trembling.

"Talk about you. Not about me," he said. "Where do you come from?"

She shook her head, as if she were struggling for the right words to say. Somehow, Fitz knew that look. "I… I'm from the real world. I came to this virtual reality. To find you. To find all our friends."

"Is that so?" he grinned. "Why would you do that? Clearly we're not on the same side."

"Oh, but we are, Fitz. You just don't remember."

"Convince me." For some reason, Fitz was humoring her with all this nonsense. Just as he'd humored Radcliffe. Jemma was dangerously close to him. He could feel her breath against his body. She looked away for just an instant. And then returned to him.

She jumped toward him. Jemma's lips were over his. She was kissing him. She was…

"Our love is cursed," he'd once said to Jemma. Standing in the middle of a lab. Their lab. Together where they worked. But…

Something was happening to him. Some strange feeling circling through his body. He'd kissed her before. Hadn't he? No. It couldn't be. So many images were floating through his head now. Seeing Jemma nearly die after jumping off a plane. Screaming after her. So many different images of her popped through his mind.

Fitz pushed her away.

"Stop it." He stood up and lunged for the electrifier, dangling it in front of her. "Stop it! Stop it! Stop it!"

He turned away, holding his head. Was he crying? No. Fitz didn't cry. He wasn't weak. Father would be angry. He didn't want to disappoint him.

"Fitz…"

"Stop calling me that! Damn you!" Fitz raced toward the door. He raced down the hallway. Straight to his office. And slammed the door behind him, ensuring he'd locked it.

Alone at his desk, he couldn't stop the tears now. He held his head. He banged his hand against the desk. But nothing could stop.

He was going crazy…

He was… he was…

Maybe he didn't know himself too well after all.


	6. Chapter 6

Hi, everyone! I just want to say… thanks for the comments and the views! I'm enjoying writing this fic, and it's great having your support! Without further ado… Chapter 6!

* * *

Fitz pulled at his suit as he stared at himself in the long, vertical mirror. A man of power stared back at him. He smirked. Yes, this was the man he'd become. The doctor. Not some weakling. Especially not a man who would cry over a kiss.

He reached for the Xanax on his desk and popped a pill into his mouth. Just enough to keep him calm. Ophelia had requested his presence in the lab, and she'd specifically mentioned that they would be running extensive tests on Jemma Simmons.

He couldn't allow Jemma the reaction he'd given her yesterday.

And he especially couldn't allow Madame to see him like that.

Fitz left his office and entered the elevator. It stopped on the third floor, and the door opened. In walked Grant Ward. Fitz crossed his arms.

"Sir," Grant said, giving him a little nod.

"Ward." Fitz glared. Ward must have known that he'd been caught. Surely, he'd recognized the device Fitz had inserted into Skye's neck. And he'd willingly returned. Fitz thought about paging security to take care of him. But on second thoughts, Fitz was a creative man. He'd handle this creatively.

Ward looked as if nothing in the world would phase him. That's why Fitz had valued him as an agent. Ward had such an incredible poker face.

"Before the day is over, we're going to kill that Simmons girl," Fitz said. At this point, the elevator opened, and the two men both stepped out into the hallway and made their way toward the lab. "Enjoy the show."

After all, this would be Ward's final one.

He paused for a moment and pretended to look down at his phone as Ward walked away. When he was alone again, Fitz walked toward the nearest security guard and lowered his voice.

"I need all eyes on Grant Ward. Ensure that he doesn't leave the facility."

He then whispered additional instructions to the man.

"Yes, doctor," the man responded.

Fitz once again began his journey toward the lab. Smiling.

* * *

She was screaming.

Fitz was surrounded by a group of people in the lab. Jemma Simmons had been strapped to the bed, and a needle dug into her left arm. Fitz held a hand up to his face, watching. There was something strange happening inside of him. Pain. He was feeling pain. But he needed to ignore this. He needed to be stronger.

"Sir, I thought we tested her yesterday? She's not an inhuman," Ward said. He stood next to his left side while Madame stood on his right.

"We have to make these subversives pay in any way possible," Ophelia said. "It's been brought to our attention that these needles are excruciatingly painful for our test subjects."

Jemma's screams filled the room once more. "Stop this! Please!"

Fitz nodded in the direction of the technician who killed the machine, and the needles retracted. He stepped through the clear sheet and stood next to the girl by the bed.

"Are you ready to tell us where the SHIELD base is?" Fitz asked.

Jemma's eyes were barely opened. They'd slightly sedated her, of course. Tried to get her to talk the easier way. But she wasn't budging, just as Fitz had imagined.

She was crying.

"You really are… different," Simmons said, slowly. She didn't move her eyes away from Fitz.

"I know that you're not going to talk. No matter what we do to you," Fitz said. He looked back at Ophelia who smiled at him, approvingly. Fitz snapped his finger.

Suddenly, two of his men came over and picked Jemma up. She just stared at Fitz, and he felt his heart stammering. No, he told himself. Do not give in this time.

"Take them both to the suffocation unit," Fitz said. He glanced back at Ward. One of the security guards stabbed him with a needle from behind. Instantly, Ward's body slid to the ground.

"Come on then," Fitz said, nodding to the group. Indicating that they all move to their next location.

Everyone filtered out of the room, save for Ophelia, and Fitz stayed behind with her. He reached for her hand and squeezed tightly.

"Leopold… why don't you meet me upstairs? We can let these men handle the rest of the operation."

Fitz narrowed his eyes. Since this girl had come into the picture, Ophelia had done everything in her power to keep Fitz away from dealing with her.

"Why are you trying to stop me from having any involvement in this?" Fitz asked. "Tell me the truth."

The truth. Something was missing. It was as if his mind was playing tricks on him.

Ophelia looked away. Fitz could see sadness in her eyes. There was something so distant about her. Something familiar that he'd never noticed before. But what was it?

"Operation Looking Glass. I need your efforts there. I've said it before… this is distracting you. This girl is dangerous."

"She'll be dead shortly. I'd like to make sure of that," Fitz said. "Let's go watch."

He gripped her hand tightly as they made their way out into the hallway. But his grip was quite contrary to the limp hand he held.

* * *

Something seemed so familiar about all of this.

They'd all moved to a secondary lab on the floor above. Fitz crossed his arms, watching the box in front of him they referred to as the container. Initially, when Hydra had won the war, these boxes had been created to house potential inhumans. It also restrained subjects from using their powers. But, most importantly, the box had the ability to suffocate any subversive who was deemed unfit for life.

From inside the container, Ward was just beginning to wake up from the injection. Near him, Jemma leaned against the doors from a seated position, her hands pressed against the glass facing them. Her eyes looked tired.

"Kill me if you want. But you're not going to win, Aida."

Aida? No… AIDA. Fitz knew that name. He stared over at Ophelia. She looked upset. Entirely too upset. Fitz shook his head. He was imagining things again.

"Start the process," Fitz said.

Ward's eyes shot open. "Process? No. Stop!"

He struggled his way to the door, still speaking. "Kill me. But leave Jemma out of this." Ward crawled toward Jemma and reached out.

"Please don't do this. Please." Ward was begging. A first.

Fitz ignored him. "Start the process."

A moment later, a noise like that of a giant fan surrounded them. The oxygen was being pumped out.

Soon enough, Ward and Simmons were coughing. Screaming. Ward's fists were clenched.

"Fitz! Stop… Fitz…" Jemma was banging against the glass door now.

Something entered his mind. Something that Fitz couldn't fight…

He was imagining something. He'd been with Jemma once. Inside one of those units. No. It was different…

"You need to accept the truth, Fitz," Jemma had said. They were looking at Ward. Agent Ward had the power to save them. He was their friend. He would help them. But Jemma continued. "He doesn't care about us. About anything."

"No. I don't believe that," Fitz had said. Because he still believed in his friend. Grant Ward.

"I know that you care about us, Ward," Fitz had said to Ward.

"You're right. I do. It's a weakness," Grant said from the outside, pushing the button. Releasing them.

Suddenly, Fitz was back in the lab. He reached for his head. Jemma was coughing, suffocating. Just as he once had…

Just as…

"Jemma?" Fitz asked, softly, more to himself than anyone else in the room.

No. He'd imagined something unreal again. Him suffocating. That was the other world, the fake world trying to creep its way into his brain. Jemma wasn't screaming anymore. She was lying on the floor inside the container. Curled into a ball.

Fitz leaned closer, watching them. Watching her. Brain damage. Why did he remember brain damage?

"Jemma!" Fitz cried. Jemma looked up at him. Just briefly. Before shutting her eyes. Possibly for good. Which should be good. Yes, it should be. But…

That memory… and Ward…

Ward was dead.

Hive was dead.

No. That wasn't real. Those memories were fake.

He-Leopold Fitz-was Hydra.

His heart was racing. He didn't know why exactly, but he needed to get Jemma out of there. He couldn't let her suffocate. He couldn't let her be alone with Ward… Ward was Hydra. Ward was bad. He slammed his hands against the glass.

"Stop this now," Fitz cried.

"Leopold…" Ophelia grabbed his arm. He pushed her away.

"No. I said stop! Now!" Fitz said.

The fan shut off. Fitz rushed over, slammed his hand against the button on the door, and reached for Jemma. She laid limply in his arms. Unconscious.

"Take Ward to a holding cell," Fitz said. "I've… I've got some final tests to run. On the both of them."

He carried Jemma Simmons past Ophelia who looked anything but pleased.

What in the hell was Fitz doing, anyway? He didn't know anymore. But for the first time in a long time, if there ever was a time, what he was doing now felt absolutely right.


	7. Chapter 7

Hey again everyone! And welcome to Chapter 7!

* * *

Fitz laid Jemma against the white sofa and took a step back. Just what in the hell was he doing? He'd locked the door to his office. Aida… no, Ophelia… would be up any minute now.

But he was now harboring a subversive. Going against everything he believed in.

Or was this version of himself going against everything he'd ever believed in?

Jemma looked lifeless, but Fitz had felt her breath against his face as he'd carried her up the stairs. She was still alive, though he could only imagine the damage he'd done to her body. He jogged over to his desk and reached for the vitalizer. A device he'd created recently. It looked like an ordinary set of headphones, but this could scan the body and heal someone instantly based on the findings.

Provided they weren't already dead.

This was one reason that Hydra agents had been doing so well lately.

"Jemma, if you can hear me, this is going to feel a little strange." Fitz placed the pieces in her ears and clicked on the switch. Her body began to pulse, and he held her hand, still questioning so many things.

After a minute, the pulsing stopped. Fitz removed the device, and Jemma remained still, seemingly unconscious. And then her eyes snapped open, and she jumped back against the sofa.

"Why won't this hell end!" Jemma cried, burying her face into her hands. "If you're going to kill me, why don't you just do it? Because I can't live in a world without you. And you're already gone."

She was sobbing, quietly, into her hands. Her body shook almost as much as when he'd placed the device over her ears. A sinking feeling overcame him.

"Jemma, I can't kill you," he finally said, softly. He placed his hand against her arm. Jemma flinched.

"It's like you once said. Our love is cursed," Jemma said. "You've already killed me. You just don't realize it yet."

Fitz removed his hand and turned away. Suddenly, memories were flooding into his mind. Memories of Jemma. Memories of the SHIELD team.

Memories of creating AIDA…

No. They had to be fake. Had to be…

Fitz sighed. No. No. No. No. Tears were falling from his eyes now. He could feel them. The memories weren't fake. Because he finally realized that the love in his heart for Jemma was so much more real than the artificial moments he'd shared with Ophelia.

And now, one final memory jumped into his mind.

AIDA and Radcliffe had kidnapped him. And Coulson and the others. He needed to find them, and save them. And…

Oh no.

"What have I done?" Fitz asked. He felt his stomach tighten. "What in the hell have I done?"

He'd been attacking his own people. He killed Agnes. And too many others… even if they were inside of some virtual reality hell. His stomach began gurgling, and he jumped up and raced toward the bathroom. What in the hell had he been doing? When he reached the toilet, he bent down and let it all go. He stretched his arms out and braced himself.

He needed to die for what he'd done.

"Fitz?" He looked behind and saw Jemma standing in the doorway.

Before he died, he needed to make sure she'd be safe.

"Jemma, we need to get you out of here. Coulson, Mace, and Mack are here, too. AIDA got them when she grabbed me."

"Fitz?" Jemma was still crying. Fitz couldn't move. He could barely breathe. He...

She raced into his arms. "Fitz!"

"Jemma… I…"

Her lips were over his, and he couldn't stop. He just needed to be near her, holding her. And for just a moment, he felt at peace inside his soul. Something, he now realized, he hadn't felt once while in this virtual reality.

Fitz knew one thing. At the end of all this, he couldn't leave. He'd either die fighting to help Jemma and his friends escape. Or he'd simply keep himself here, locked away. He deserved an eternity of Hydra hell.

He deserved to be here.

And on that thought, he heard banging on his office door. AIDA was here.


	8. Chapter 8

Well, we're getting closer to Tuesday… I'm way too excited for the next episode, and I am really hoping they go in the direction of this being an "alternate" reality instead of simply a computer program. But we'll see

Without further ado…

* * *

"You need to stay in here," Fitz whispered to Jemma. The banging on the door continued.

"Leopold?" AIDA yelled from outside his office.

"But Fitz… this isn't real," Jemma replied, just as softly. "We can get through this together. We need to find the others and-"

"No, Jemma. I've done enough damage." He leaned in and pressed his lips against her forehead. "Let me handle this. I'll get you out of here."

Before she had a chance to protest, as he knew she wanted, Fitz closed the bathroom door and stepped out, leaving her.

He raced to the other side of the room and swung his office door open. AIDA dashed inside.

"Leopold, what is going on? Where is she? What in the hell are you doing?"

"Madame." Fitz said. He'd have to play this off as naturally as possible. Natural being the subjective word in this situation. "I took care of her."

"What do you mean, you took care of her? Where is she?" AIDA asked. How had Fitz not realized the truth earlier? The way she stared at him, he saw the eyes of something trying to recreate human emotion. But AIDA was off just slightly enough to reveal the artificiality of it all. With this revelation, Fitz grew increasingly aware that every memory he had of this virtual reality was in fact fake. If he had any doubt, it was gone now. Making him feel even guiltier.

Still, he had to play the part.

Fitz inched his way closer to AIDA and slid an arm around her back. "It's just as you said. This whole time, they've tried to tear us apart. I wasn't going to give them the satisfaction of death."

AIDA's eyes seemed to loosen, and the scowl on her face dissolved into a look that meant she was satisfied with his answer. She leaned down and planted a kiss against his lips. Internally, Fitz now cringed at her touch, but he accepted it. He needed to pretend for a moment if his plan was going to work.

He was already doomed, anyway.

Fitz broke their kiss and stepped away. "I need to be alone now, Ophelia. How close is Operation Looking Glass to completion?"

"We should be ready for our first tests sometime tomorrow morning." AIDA smiled and stepped away. Something seemed different. "Leopold, you should go home early today. Get some rest. You look like you need it."

"As you wish," Fitz said. "I'll see you at home tonight then?"

"Of course." AIDA exited through the doors, giving him the most peculiar look he'd seen from her yet. Once she was gone, he waited a moment before going back for Jemma.

When he opened the door, he found her, sitting on the floor, face full of tears.

Fitz sank down to meet her and reached for her hands.

"Jemma, I-"

"You live together?" she asked. "Fitz, I know this isn't real. It's just so hard to wrap my mind around. A few days ago, I had to fight you… and then everything here."

Fitz tried to remember when he'd fought Jemma. More like he'd been the one torturing her. They hadn't actually gotten in a physical fight. Unless his memory was now playing tricks on him in a much different way…

"I mean your LMD," Jemma said, as if she could read his mind.

His heart sank. He hadn't even gotten the chance to think about that. About what AIDA and Radcliffe had replaced him with in the real world.

"After they captured you and the others," Jemma continued. "I didn't even know they had you. Your LMD was so… real. I didn't want to believe it was true. Even after the sensor went off. It had all your memories."

"Jemma, don't tell me that thing is still out there. What did it try to do to you?" Fitz asked.

Jemma looked down. "I took care of it."

Fitz took a deep breath. Jemma had fought an LMD that looked and acted just like him. And won. It was a wonder she was even talking to him right now after everything she'd been through.

"We need to get you out of here," Fitz said. He'd heard enough.

"We need to get Ward."

"Ward? Why in the hell would we do that?" Fitz asked.

"Because he's a double agent working for SHIELD."

"Unbelievable." But at least there was still a SHIELD.

"You're telling me," Jemma said.

Fitz paused. He was the doctor—number two in Hydra. Certainly, he had the power to get both Jemma and Ward out of here. Ward. That sounded so wrong. But he needed to remind himself that Ward was dead. However realistic this Ward seemed to be. He was just a piece of highly realistic code. Right?

"Jemma, are we sure this place is actually fake?"

She gave him a look of concern, and he instantly knew he'd said the wrong thing.

"No, no, no. I know this isn't our real world. But what I mean is… did AIDA create a virtual reality or something else entirely?" Fitz asked. "Radcliffe's goal was to create eternal life. The people here are entirely too real."

"Are you suggesting that this could be… some sort of alternate dimension?"

"Maybe. I'm not quite sure. None of this makes any sense," Fitz said. "But I do have a plan. I know how we can get both you and Ward out of here and back to the others."

"And you… right?" Jemma asked.

Fitz smiled, sadly. "Sure. And me, too, Jemma."


	9. Chapter 9

HOLY crap. What an episode last night! Anyway, there may be some spoilers that come into play from episode 18 (if not in this chapter, the next one).

Without further ado…

* * *

"Is this really necessary?" Jemma asked. Fitz had cuffed her and was escorting her as if she were a criminal.

"Just trust me, Jemma." Even though trusting him seemed like the worst thing to do after what he'd done. "People here will suspect something otherwise."

"Right. These people who may or may not be computer code."

"You know what I mean." Fitz turned down the hallway which led to the rooms where they were keeping subversives. As aware as he was of his real memories, Fitz still remembered all the other implanted, fake memories. As if he truly had lived them.

He slowed as they neared Radcliffe's room, hesitating for a moment. The man was crying. Jemma and Fitz exchanged glances.

"AIDA killed him, Fitz. In the real world," Jemma said. "I know, I shouldn't feel badly. This is his fault after all. But…"

Fitz opened the door leading to Radcliffe. "If we're going to get out of here, we'll need his help."

They stepped through the doors to Radcliffe's chamber while Fitz continued to hold onto Jemma. Radcliffe looked like a ghost. Fitz's memories from both worlds crawled into his mind. He subconsciously reached down, as if he was about to grab an electrifier…

"Please. Don't! I've had enough… I'll do anything!" Radcliffe cried.

"Shut-up already," Fitz said. "And get the hell up. We're getting out of here and you're going to help us."

Radcliffe's eyes narrowed. "Fitz? My boy, is it you?"

"I'm not your boy," Fitz said. "Get up."

The three of them walked down the corridor until Fitz found the room where they were keeping Ward. He shuddered on the inside and glanced over at Jemma who squeezed his hand.

When Fitz opened the door, he discovered Ward, slumped over in the corner of the room.

"Ward." Fitz had enough power to literally have this guy killed off… he could… he should…

Fitz took a deep breath.

"Come to truly kill me this time?" Ward asked. "Just get it over with already."

"No. Get up. You're taking us to SHIELD," Fitz said.

"Now, why the hell would I do that?" Ward asked.

"Because this isn't the doctor," Jemma said. "This is Fitz. A good man."

Ward stood and slowly made his way toward Fitz. For the first time since he'd been here, Fitz genuinely felt nervous. This was Grant Ward. No one knew what he was capable of. Ward towered over him.

"You should listen to her," Radcliffe said. "If anyone was going to wake him up, it was Jemma."

"Wake him up. Right. I still don't buy into this fake world thing you keep talking about, Jemma," Ward said.

"Believe her. Because if you were the real Grant Ward, I'd shoot you now," Fitz said. He released Jemma and inched in toward Grant. Fitz still had a gun on him. He could easily just take care of this now and…

"Fitz!" Jemma cried, throwing her arms around him. "Stop this! We need to get out of here."

"Fine," Fitz said, backing away. He reached for his head and pulled on his hair. Even with his memories, he wasn't the same man anymore. Even knowing that this was all fake…

Fitz guided the four of them out the back exit where he convinced the two guards that this was standard procedure. The group quickly rushed toward an unmarked van. Ward hopped into the driver's seat while Radcliffe climbed into the passenger side.

Fitz squeezed Jemma's hand in the back as Ward started up the car.

Finally, they were going to get back to SHIELD.


	10. Chapter 10

Hey, everyone! Thank you once again for all your amazing support and reviews.

Without further ado… I bring you Chapter 10!

* * *

Everything was dark. Fitz felt the vehicle come to an abrupt stop, and he heard the car door swing open.

"We're here," he heard Ward say.

Jemma's hands wrapped around his, and she pressed her lips against his cheek.

"Is this really necessary?" Jemma asked.

"He's the doctor. Of course, it's necessary," Ward said.

"I'm right here, you know," Fitz said, still surrounded by darkness. "And I don't exactly enjoy having a bag over my head."

Soon after they'd left the Hydra base, Ward had thrown Jemma a piece of cloth and instructed her to drape it over and tie it around Fitz's head. Fitz didn't really protest. After the things he'd done, he understood why they wouldn't trust him. Hell, he didn't understand how Jemma could still look him in the eyes. His insides crawled with guilt, increasing in intensity by the second.

Fitz had killed people.

Jemma tugged on his hand and pulled him out of the car. He heard someone banging on a door, and then Jemma tugged on him again as they presumably stepped inside of the SHIELD base.

And then the cloth was ripped away from him, and someone from behind slammed him down into a seat.

"Give me one reason why I shouldn't kill you right now."

The Patriot stood in front of him. Fitz clenched his fists. This was the man who had been terrorizing the streets and…

Fitz took a long, drawn out breath. No. Not the Patriot. Well…

"Mace? You're the Patriot?" Fitz asked. "Of course… your one regret…"

Mace's eyes narrowed, and he crossed his arms. He bent over, hovering right above Fitz. A flickering light from above danced on Mace's forehead. "Regret. Now, that's a funny word. Especially coming from you, doctor."

"Please, don't call me that," Fitz said.

"You've killed innocent people in the name of science. You've earned quite the reputation. Doctor," Mace continued. "But, don't worry, I'm not going to so much as touch you. Why don't I show you all the damage you've caused?"

"Please, don't do this," Jemma said. "He's been through enough." Fitz turned and saw her standing off to the side. Next to… Coulson?

But this couldn't be Coulson. This Phil Coulson was so quiet.

Mace reached for Fitz and pulled him up from the seat, practically dragging him through the facility.

"Mace! Please, stop this!" Jemma cried. But Fitz didn't even bother fighting back.

"This is what you and your organization have been doing to the rest of us," Mace said. He dragged Fitz through the recognizable base of SHIELD. Past the lab that Fitz shared with Jemma in the real world. A time that seemed long ago now. Fitz would never be able to share that lab with Jemma again…

They reached a room filled with people. Loads and loads of people. Mace slammed Fitz up against the glass as they looked in on the crowd from the hallway.

"Do you see this, doctor?" Mace asked. Fitz glanced around. Everyone in the room were dressed in clothing filled with holes. They all looked hungry. Sad. Depressed. Displaced…

"Yes," Fitz said, softly. "I see what I've done."

Mace was dragging him around again. Showing him different rooms filled with people who all looked the same. As if their world had been torn apart.

"This concludes are tour," Mace said. He was dragging Fitz toward the back of the facility now. Near the area where, in their real world, they kept people until they were ready to question them further.

Mace shoved Fitz into a chamber. He stood in the frame of the door, his hands on his hips. "There's so much pain I'd like to inflict on you, doctor. After the things you've done to the people I love. You're just lucky that I'm not that kind of person."

Mace began to shut the door just as Jemma reached him and stood in the frame, blocking him.

"Stop it, Mace. Wake up already! This isn't the doctor. There is no doctor. This is Fitz. Sure, the two of you may not have always seen things eye to eye. But you wouldn't do this if you remembered."

"You know, I've gone along with your crazy theories, Doctor Simmons. You've been playing us for idiots ever since you showed up," Mace said. "I don't trust you. And I certainly don't trust the doctor."

"Please don't do this, sir. Ask Daisy. Please." Jemma was still standing in the frame of the door. Mace looked away for a moment as if he were thinking things through.

"Jemma, just leave me here," Fitz said. "I've done enough. I'm not leaving the framework."

Jemma turned and looked Fitz in the eyes. "What? Don't talk like that. Of course, you're leaving."

"No, actually," Fitz said. "Just let him keep me in here. It's where I belong."

Mace shut the door, enclosing Jemma in the room in the process. Suddenly, things were dark again. Fitz jumped up and raced toward Jemma.

"Mace?" Jemma cried, banging on the door. "Mace!"

"Mace!" Fitz yelled. "Let her out of here!"

"No. I don't think so," Mace said from the outside. "As far as I'm concerned, the two of you have been working together. And I can't afford to take any chances."

Fitz and Jemma continued screaming after him, banging on the door. But Mace didn't come. After a while, Jemma sank down to the floor, in an eerily calm manner. Fitz joined her, and placed an arm around her shoulder, pulling her in tightly.

"If you're not leaving, then neither am I," Jemma said.

"Don't say that, Jemma," Fitz said. "You've never done the things that I've done. You have a long life ahead of you and—"

"You were brainwashed, Fitz. Besides, we don't even know if these are real people. It could all be a code. In which case, you haven't really killed anyone."

"I still shot Agnes."

"Yes…" Jemma's voice trailed off. "But you weren't in control of yourself."

"Have can you ever be near me, Jemma? When we get out of here, you need to get the others and move on with your life. You-"

Jemma leaned into Fitz and pressed her lips against his. For a moment, Fitz thought about pushing her away, but his body relaxed. Warm tears slid down his face as the two of them embraced. They stayed that way for a long time.

Yet Fitz's goal remained the same. He needed to get Jemma out of this virtual reality. And he wasn't going with her.


End file.
